Oxford

Oxford's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in ethnicity, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 150,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Oxford increased by 13%, from just over 134,000 to 152,000.

The addition of just under 18,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Oxford was home to, on average, 24 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Oxford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Oxford decreased by two years, from 31 to 29 years.

This area had the lowest average age in the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 6,200 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by about 500.

About 26% of people in Oxford are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Oxford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Oxford

The percentage of Oxford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.1% to 2.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 19 (5.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.8% in 2001. The percentage of Oxford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 92%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of self-employment increased in Oxford, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the South East, except Rushmoor.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 9.5% to 11%.

The rate of self-employment was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

Oxford saw the South East's second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under 1 in 14 (7.0%) households in Oxford had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 24% to 27%.

Across the region, only Basingstoke and Deane saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 9.8% to 8.8%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Oxford residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.3%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Oxford remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Oxford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Oxford

The number of people in Oxford from the White ethnic groups remained close to about 120,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 87% to 78%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Oxford from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 8,900 in 2001 to about 19,000 in 2011 (from 6.7% to 12%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just under 3,400 to about 7,000 (from 2.5% to 4.6%).

About 6,000 people (2.4%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 3,200 in 2001 (4.0%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Oxford decreased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Oxford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Oxford

The number of people in Oxford that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 32,000 in 2001 to about 50,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 24% to 33% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Oxford that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 81,000 in 2001 to about 73,000 in 2011 (from 60% to 48%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 12,000 to about 13,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 8.7% to 8.3%.

About 10,000 people (3.9%) said they were Muslim, up from about 5,200 in 2001 (6.8%).

The population without a religion in Oxford increased by 9.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Oxford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Oxford at a faster rate than in Vale of White Horse (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Oxford).

In Oxford, the proportion of private renting increased from 21% in 2001 to 28% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Vale of White Horse increased from 10% to 14%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10% to 16%.

The rate of social housing in Oxford remained close to 21%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 54% to 47%.

Private renting in Oxford increased by 7.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Oxford, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Oxford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.6% to 3.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (87%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73% in 2001. While the percentage of Oxford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 9.4%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Oxford decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Oxford, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Oxford

The percentage of married people fell in Oxford, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Oxford, the proportion of married people decreased from 35% in 2001 to 33% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England decreased from 51% to 47%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 53% to 49%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Oxford increased from 50% to 54%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner remained close to 8.4%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Oxford working less than 16 hours increased from 3.1% to 4.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Oxford increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Oxford, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Oxford, which comprised one person, decreased from 34% to 33% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.2%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Oxford which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 28% to 26%.

The proportion of one-person households fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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